Running After You
by PixieChalk
Summary: Zel awakes to find his wife is missing, but his friends are less than sympathetic. Sequel to Saying Goodbye. Z/A


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Running after You

Running Away by: Hoobastank

Slayers by: ? Not me!

Story by: Mwa!

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I don't want you to give it all up

And leave your own life collecting dust

Zelgadiss scrunched his face together as he awoke to the intense light of the morning sun filling his vision. In a hopeless attempt to block out the glare, and obtain a few minutes more of slumber, Zel flung his arm up over his eyes. Accepting defeat Zel mumbled to himself and rolled out of the bed. Not yet fully coherent he stumbled across the floor towards the basin of water. Splashing the cold liquid onto his face he shed the last bits of fuzziness from his mind. Looking back at the bed he had previously left Zelgadiss realized the bed was empty when it should have held a second body.

"Amelia?" The only reply Zel received was the chirping of little birds. Zelgadiss shivered.

'A chill? What the?' His gaze traveled to the window. 'It's open!' he thought in surprise. Perplexed Zel walked over and shut it tightly. It did nothing to warm him though, so he hurried to dress.

As he was pinning on his cape it hit him. 'All of Amelia's things are gone, not only her clothes.' Another shiver racked his body, but this time it wasn't from the cold. In a near panic he scanned the room. 

'What's that on the bed? I must have missed it.' Zel walked hesitantly over to the bed to take a closer look. What he found confused him for about half a second before shock took over. His eyes widened as he bent down to retrieve the note lying under his wife's wedding ring. 

"You're cured, and now you're free too. Don't worry about me. Signed Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune," he read. "What's that supposed to mean?" 

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And I don't want you to feel sorry for me

'She left me? Why?' 

Amelia had loved him long before he had returned the sentiment, and he had always thought of her love as something fixed. When he had believed himself a freak of society she had been there, trying to show him otherwise. At first he had dismissed her feelings. She was always on the lookout for a cause, and he was probably just her latest one. Yet, no matter how distant or abrupt he was with her, she stayed by him. He wasn't able to say when he stopped thinking of her blind determination as foolish, and when he started thinking of it as commendable.

'Maybe I was only her cause. Why else would she leave right after I found my cure?'

He shook his head in denial. If that was true he didn't think his heart could handle it. 

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You never gave us a chance to be

"Zel! Amelia! You'd better come to breakfast before Mr. And Mrs. Gabriev down there eat it all."

Filia's voice from behind the door sent Zel back into his panic full force. "Filia!" he practically screamed as he rushed over to throw open the door. "Do you know anything about this?" He questioned as he thrust the note under her nose. Filia stumbled back in surprise. 

"Know anything about what? What's this?"

"Amelia! I think she left me! I found this goodbye letter on her pillow under her ring."

"Oh," she said with a nod.

Zel's eyes narrowed. "You do know something."

"I don't know anything, besides the fact that you should have seen it coming!"

"What's that mean?"

A new voice interrupted their spat, "Where were you guys? You missed breakfast, the most important meal of the day." This came from the infamous red headed Lina. 

"Lina! Do YOU know anything about this?"

"Huh? Calm down Zel."

"Amelia left him," came the dragon's casual reply.

"She what! You've only been married for a month and you already blew it?" 

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And I don't need you to be by my side

Tell me that everything's all right

'Blew it? I haven't done anything!' his right eye twitched at this thought.

"My my. Isn't this an interesting development."

"Namagomi," Filia hissed. 

"Xellos! You have something to do with this, don't you?"

Xellos' usual smile vanished replaced by a slight frown. Cracking open one eye Xellos whispered, "This my dear Zelgadiss you did all on your own."

"Why you!"

"He's right about this Zel."

"You're siding with him Lina?"

"Unfortunately yes."

Xellos pouted. "Unfortunately? I thought we were friends Lina."

Lina rolled her eyes. "That doesn't mean I trust you Xel."

"Hello? We're talking about Amelia having gone missing here!"

"Oh yeah. As I was saying Zel (no not you Xellos, the other Zel), Amelia left because of you. No one encouraged her, or tricked her, etc. etc."

"Left because of me? I didn't do anything, and she wasn't complaining last night," the ending part was accompanied by a slight smirk on Zel's face.

"Too much information Zel." Lina uttered at the same time Filia proclaimed, "Didn't do anything! You've only been flirting with every girl in sight for the last week, you baka!" 

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I just wanted you to tell me the truth

You know I'd do that for you

He hadn't been flirting with every girl in sight! How dare Filia accuse him of something like that. It wasn't his fault that his original body was so attractive. It wasn't like he was encouraging them; he was only being polite. Amelia understood that. 

'Did she?' asked a little voice inside of him. 'Maybe you were enjoying the new found attention a tad too much. It was quite a thrill to be so carefree after years of depression, wasn't it?'

"Leave me alone!" Zel said to the accusatory voice. His friends mistook his words as intended for them, and were clearly offended.

"We were only trying to help. What a grouch! I see your back to your old self Zel."

"Indeed."

"What Lina said."

And with those last words they stomped off, or fazed off, depending on whom you noticed. 

"Back to my old self? Hmph." Zel grumbled, equally angry. 

'They have to be wrong about everything. Amelia would have told me if that were the case. There have never been secrets before.' 

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So why are you running away

Why are you running away

"That's it!" Zel exclaimed as he pounded a fist into his palm. He would go after her, and find out the truth. If she didn't love him anymore it was better to know. He prayed that that wasn't the case though. 

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Was I good enough to show you that I

Was willing to give and sacrifice

A little less than an hour later Zel could be found flying east, towards Saillune. By now Zelgadiss was convinced that there was some explanation he hadn't thought of yet to account for his partner's sudden departure. She knew that Zel cared. Sure, he wasn't the best at being affectionate, nor was he the most pronounced about his feelings . . .but Amelia should know his heart. Especially after he had almost died defending her from Gaav. Such an action was totally out of character for Zel, so she would know it could only mean one thing. Therefore, there just had to be another reason for all of this. 

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And I was the one who was lifting you up

When you thought your life had had enough

Zel remembered when he had finally admitted to himself that he had strong feelings for the justice-crazed princess. He had been depressed, more so than was normal, and without thinking he had grasped the bracelet Amelia had given him as a parting gift. As soon as he had noticed what he was doing he dropped the item as if burned. But a few minutes later he was holding it once again. That second time he brought the article out into his line of vision. He stared at it seeking answers. It was at that precise instant that he knew he loved Amelia. 

The only thing he could do afterwards was to take off running at chimeric speed in the direction of Saillune. He arrived barely in time too. Phil had been crowned King at long last, and the city was pushing for Amelia to marry in order to secure the throne. 

He had found her crying in her room upon his coming. Kneeling down beside her Zel wiped away her tears with the edge of his cloak, telling her not to worry. When she sniffled, and asked how she couldn't help but cry at the present situation he had responded by saying, "You can stop crying because I'll marry you."

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And when I get close you turn away

"You? But what about your cure? You wouldn't be able to search for it married to me."

"It doesn't matter anyway. Looking has been nothing but a waste of time."

"Oh but,"

He interrupted her next words, "Unless you don't want to marry me? Am I no better than the princes that your council has introduced to you?"

"Of course not! I love you."

"You do?"

With wide eyes and red cheeks she nodded. He only grinned. "Then that settles it."

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There's nothing that I can do or say

Soon the arrangements were made and invitations sent. He had never been as content as the first day he woke up next to her. He was happy too, but . . . . He sometimes felt as if Amelia was holding back. Before he could think too much on it she would smile at him, erasing the feeling.

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So now I need you to tell me the truth

You know I'd do that for you

Now he was positive that she was holding back, and this time he wouldn't shrug it off. When he got to Saillune he would demand answers.

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So why are you running away

Why are you running away

"Finally," Zel gasped as his eye saw the gates of the city come into focus. He stopped a few feet away from the gates to catch his breath. Gathering up his courage Zel squared his shoulders and made headed for the palace. 

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Is it me Is it you

"Prince Zel! We were informed you wouldn't be coming back," the palace guard said in astonishment.

"You did? I don't see why, I mean why wouldn't I come back?"

At Zel's pointed tone the guard shrunk back. This guard was smart enough to keep out of lovers' spats when he saw them, and right now he was looking at a whopper. "Um, perhaps you should ask the Princess that my lord."

"I'll do that. Now let me pass."

"Yes sir."

Zel was pissed, no more than pissed. Not coming back was he? Well, he would show her. What did she think of him anyway? Did she think he was the type to give up without a fight? If so, she thought wrong.

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Nothing that I can do

To make you change your mind

As he stalked towards Amelia's room Zel was greeted by shouts of confusion and much pointing. 

'What has she been telling them?' 

When he at long last reached the door of his destination he didn't waste any time in knocking; Zel simply swung the door open and walked inside. 

"Zelgadiss? Why are you here?"

"Why am I here? I live here."

"Didn't you find my letter? You aren't under any obligations now."

"Obligations? Being married to you isn't an obligation! I'm the one who asked you for L-sama's sake, or don't you remember?"

Amelia cringed at his barely contained rage. He could see the bewilderment in her gaze. "Yes, I remember, but things are different now."

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Why do you run away

Won't you tell me why you run away

Zel crumpled at this. Exhaling slowly he could taste all the tension evaporate. "I see. This is why you left?"

She wouldn't meet his eyes as she responded with a yes.

"Look at me and answer," he demanded. 

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Is it me Is it you

"Can't you see its better this way?" she cried.

"No, I can't."

"I'm not stupid Zelgadiss, even if I am a bit naive. I've seen how you've been acting ever since you found your cure."

"And how's that?"

"Happy. Happy in a way I could never make you. I know you only married me because you assumed that there would never be a cure. You thought only I could love you in that form!" this came out in rush and Zel saw the tears gathering in her eyes. 

"You think that's why I married you?" he asked incredulously.

"I, well, isn't it?"

"No."

"Why did you?"

"Because I love you."

Amelia finally met his gaze. She looked at him doubtfully. "You never told me that," came the reproachful reply. 

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Nothing that I can do

To make you change your mind

"I'm telling you now."

"I don't know why you're doing this, but please stop. This is only hurting us more in the long run. I'm not angry with you, if that is what's stopping you from leaving. It wouldn't be just to hold you in an unwanted marriage."

Zel was taken aback at this. She didn't believe him! How could he convince her otherwise?

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So why are you running away

Why are you running away

"I'm sorry that I hurt you Amelia. I should have told you that I love you before this. I'm just not used to feeling this way. Before Lina and all of you came along I had closed off my heart. Having it open again is hard. This is hard. Please listen to me Mia."

He must not have said the right thing, because at his speech she broke down and started sobbing uncontrollably.

"But . . . ." 

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So why are you running away

What is it I have to say

To make you admit your afraid

Why are you running away

To silence her last remaining protests Zel closed the distance between them; grabbing Amelia by the shoulders and planting his lips firmly on hers. She struggled in his arms for a second before she responded, and opened her mouth, deepening the kiss.

**


End file.
